Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities has received an Emergency Response Award by the Edison Electric Institute for their restoration efforts following the devastating May 16 storms that swept through Kentucky.
In a written statement, LG&E and KU President John R. Crockett III said they take great pride in serving their customers and communities each and every day. He said this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of their employees, both in the field and behind the scenes, who rally together with their business partners and safely restore power for their customers in the best and worst of times.
According to utility officials, the storms brought winds exceeding 80 mph and spawned multiple tornadoes, impacting more than 114,000 LG&E and KU customers and resulting in nearly 1,000 reports of wires down and more than 250 broken poles. They said the devastation from the tornadoes, including the loss of 19 lives as well as numerous homes and businesses, left an undeniable mark on Kentucky’s communities. More than 1,100 LG&E and KU employees and restoration personnel worked safely and swiftly to protect the public, assess the significant damage across LG&E and KU’s system, and complete repairs, which in some cases required rebuilding entire parts of the utilities’ system ravaged by the storms.
